


Flowers and Ice

by SpiritedPanda



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Romance, Coma, Dreams, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Flashbacks, Grief/Mourning, Heartbreak, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Torture, Inspired by Fanart, Politics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:33:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22416316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiritedPanda/pseuds/SpiritedPanda
Summary: "Cut through the heart cold and clear. Strike for love and strike for fear"--Disney FrozenA frozen heart is hard to thaw, but once thawed, it could prove to be the most loyal heart out there.
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha, Rin/Sesshoumaru (InuYasha)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 27





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story is mostly inspired by Daphne Du Maurier's "Rebecca", Taiwanese author 瓊瑤 (Qiong Yao)'s "庭院深深" (The Deep Garden) and a wonderful picture by Inu-Sess-Rin on Deviantart. 
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/inu-sessh-rin/art/No-Rin-Stay-with-me-618526520

Long hair, like moonlight, swayed in the air, as a gust of cold wind brushed past a figure standing tall and proud on a cliff, overlooking a sea of bright orange and yellow. The sunset had the winter sky tinted red as black smoke billowed around. Golden eyes held no emotion as he watched the scene unfold below him. 

“Jaken, make sure nobody leaves. No survivors” 

“Yes, Milord” A little green imp or a Kapa held the Nintōjō, a large staff with two heads, that could produce long streams of flame, and massive amounts of water, stood beside him bowing his head. Not daring to look up until he felt a slight breeze the signified his master had flown away. 

The Kappa sighed as he gazed upon his Master's retreating figure. As beautiful as an ice sculpture, he had a personality to match, only one who has ever dared to get close and as a result, thawed his Master's heart. Memories of bright smiles, a bubbly personality, a caring soul, a happy content Master, intelligent and joyful children flooded his mind. 

Blinking back to the present, Jaken's old heart split in two. 

“Foolish humans angering my master…Still…” Jaken The ocean of fire burned brightly, screams filled the night air piercing even his ears. It was little wonder the master did not linger. Jaken knew his master, however, though hard as a diamond, and merciless as ice. But he was never sadistic. His master found no enjoyment in brutality and ending people's lives. When his Master did kill, he did so in a quick, efficient manner. He did not kill children, nor anyone who had no power over their actions. Jaken knew this, and standing there on the cliff, listening to the children’s wails, the desperate cries of parents, and smelling the burning flesh, he wondered if his Lordship would forgive him, should he end the villagers suffering. His Master was an honorable man despite his coldness...Surely... 

“Milord will not punish this Jaken for letting them die quickly” He muttered as he held up his weapon ready to let loose another bigger blast of fire. 

“I won’t do that Master Jaken, not if you value your life” A soft cold voice sounded behind him.

“They stole something from us, they deserve to suffer” Turning around he found a two-headed dragon-beast, Ah Un, landing. On it was a boy and girl both about 6 years old. Frozen-honey colored eyes gazed out at the burning village below. Shivers ran up and down Jaken’s spine at the lack of empathy in their eyes as the screams and wails continued. Beautiful as diamonds, cold as ice, just like their father. 

“Waka-sama, Ojou-sama” The kappa bowed in respect, not daring to look up. 

“Considering what they did to Mother, they should thank kami all we’re doing is burning their precious village” 

The sight of their mother flittered to the forefront of their memory. Pale as a ghost, limp in their father's arms. Her kimono soaked with blood. The smell of red-hot metal and leather covered with saltwater permeating from her body. So different from the normal scent of sakura.

Jaken's heart lurched again as memories of bright, laughter-filled days flooded his mind, followed by memories of warm evenings spent in pleasurable calm. How his old heart yearned for those bygone days when the palace was full of life and love... 

The Kappa had no response to that. In his mind, the cruelest thing one could do to children was to take their mother away. The cruelest thing one could to do a man is to take his wife while he’s unconscious. The human chief definitely deserved this end, but did the other people? Gazing back out at the sea of orange and red, Jaken wondered: Would the Lady have approved of this action taken from her beloved Lord-husband, and children? 

Unfortunately…Nobody will ever know…

How sad...

The frozen heart that was thawed...cannot help but return to a wintery state...waiting for its own little light...

the ocean of fire, burning brightly, will never be able to make up for the light extinguished within...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reminder: this story is slightly AU. Please leave any thoughts, comments, and suggestions for improvement below.
> 
> I hope everyone's doing well during this difficult time. Stay well and stay safe!

The remains of several smoking buildings were all that was left of the once-bustling village. Merchants who made it out alive told tales of the village’s horrific destruction. Of how dearly loved the Lord’s wife was and how stupid it was of the village chief to try and take her from him by force. All asked the same question, why would anyone do this to the Lady? She was a compassionate soul, who saw the good in everyone and had a strong sense of justice. 

The Merchants quickly found that the Lady’s kindness made her a favourite amongst the people of the West. Many were in favour of her Lord-husband’s drastic actions, saying the Village Chief deserved the ending he got.  
Some claimed that she was nothing but a demon's whore, that as a human, she shouldn’t have married the Youkai Lord of the West and that what happened to her was divine punishment for defying the ways of nature. 

.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Back at the Lord’s castle, a little ghost stood watching as the old squat kappa came in and immediately bowed to his Master, her much-missed Lord-husband. A glare from him was all the old kappa needed to begin giving a detailed report of the previous night. 

The chief had been found dead. His hands and head were cut off cleanly, clothes were torn to shreds, with a dart-wound right above his heart. The old kappa bashfully confessed, he didn’t know which of their soldiers made the kill. However, in the fire, the chief’s young ward escaped with an elaborate box that had been the real target of this attack. As the report continued, nobody noticed the very confused little ghost in the corner. 

“Sesshomaru-sama, this lowly servant believes that the boy who escaped is headed east, where the Lady Mother’s cousin lives. Our source tells us that the two have been in correspondence.” 

The current Lord of the West, Sesshomaru felt his eyes turn crimson and the purple stripes on his cheekbones widened, while the crescent moon on his forehead darkened in color. The confused little ghost wanted so badly to go hug her husband.

Jaken knelt on the floor before him, started sweating bullets and shivering as he felt his Master’s anger rise. Dread filled the old kappa. He was ordered to kill everyone, and ensure that nobody got away. 

“Chichiue!” the voice of a girl called from down the hall. The little ghost scrambled up in alarm at the sound. And the old Kappa would have sighed with relief if he didn’t get a good look at what the child was wearing. No doubt the Master could smell it too. 

“Let us go recover the item. We can blend in with the humans,” the voice of a boy said. 

Without looking at his children, Sesshomaru dismissed their suggestion, “You are not ready.” 

“Chichue! W-we..” the boy started trembling and stammering. “We are ready a-and we can prove it! 

“We already did something big.” The little ghost could have sworn that the girl speaking was Setsuna, but she couldn’t comprehend it...How much time has passed? 

“We went to the village tonight, and s-s-stole something!” 

“We did it for Hahaue’s sake!” 

Sesshomaru glanced at his children, noting their blood and soot-covered clothes, their lack of injury, and their human appearance. Meeting his eyes, the girl brought out an elaborate golden comb with flowers carved on it. His amber eyes widened. He looked at the nervous kids kneeling before him and nodded his assent. The two smiled brightly at each other, before disappearing back out the door, happy to have their first mission. They were determined to do it well. Despite their age, they were more than willing to kill if it meant helping their family. 

............................................................................................................................................................................................................................

At a riverside a few hours from the destroyed village, a boy sat down on a rock, panting heavily. His feet were terribly burnt, throbbing with pain and his face was covered with soot. A group of people noticed him and felt sympathy. They had seen the burning village and heard the story of why it was destroyed. But the blame fell on the chief and everyone close to him. This boy was only about eleven. For an entire village to suffer because of the mistakes of one man, was too much. Especially to one young lady.

“Sumimasen, I noticed that you are badly injured, I can treat your injuries if you’d like,” the young lady wore a white blouse, navy blue skirt, and the oddest looking shoes he'd ever seen. 

“You are Kagome are you not? The priestess who traveled Japan in search of shards of the Shikon jewel a few years back?” Relief filled the boy’s eyes. Meeting a woman dressed unlike any other in Japan was said to bring good luck.

“Yes, I am, how do you know?” 

He didn’t answer. Instead, he looked back towards the group. 

“That one in red with silver hair and dog ears, is he perhaps your familiar, the Hanyou, Inuyasha?” 

“Yes?” The way the boy spoke of Inuyasha vexed the priestess, it wasn’t right. But she brushed it off assuming some people of Sengoku Japan likely agreed with the (in)famous Master Ungai’s view of Youkai.

The boy sent a prayer of thanks to every local Kami as he followed the young woman, Kagome back to her campsite. Sitting down, he introduced himself and told the group his dilemma. Perhaps he could finish his assignment after all. 

“Hajimemashite. My name is Taro. I was the village chief’s ward. His son’s study-buddy. I was sent to deliver something to the Eastern Lord. I ask that you please accompany me and help me protect this important item.” He held out a beautifully carved wooden box. 

“What happened to the village?” a young man in dark blue monks robes spoke. Asking the question on everyone's mind. 

The boy blinked owlishly as Kagome took a device from an odd-looking bag, the horseshoe-like end went to her ears, and the other end went to his heart. “It was burnt down by the youkai Lord, who rules the Western Lands. I believe he is a relative of yours Inuyasha-sama. You have the same hair,” the silver-headed young man just huffed in response. 

“Why would a Lord attack a village in his own domain?” the young lady, Kagome asked, in confusion, as she began carefully applying some unknown substance to his burnt feet. “And one so close to his own home.” 

“Well, that’s a long story. It has to do with the item I’m to deliver.” The boy shifted holding the box carefully. “There was a girl in the village, known simply as Rin. She was the most beautiful girl in the village, probably in the entire Western Lands. When she danced, the scent of sakura filled the air. Everyone in the village loved her. My Master was one of the many men who wanted her. But we all knew deep in our hearts that she was destined for something greater. However, a few years ago, she married the youkai who rules these lands.” 

“And, what? Your people deemed her a disgrace and tortured her to death? Is that it?!” The silver-haired young man with dog years ground out through gritted teeth. He’d seen this type of damage many times. A human suitor with power, unable to stand that the girl he wanted, chose a youkai...jealousy gradually turning to hatred, until finally to insanity.

“No, we...we tracked her down...and our Chief, my Master, entered an agreement with the Lord of the Eastern Lands, who had long coveted the West. If my Master helps him bring the Lord down, he gets to keep Rin...to do with as he pleases.” the child looked down in shame, face turning a beet red. 

“I assume your chief did the unspeakable to her because she’s a youkai’s whore and then killed her?” the monk spoke again. The story was familiar. A few years ago, the group encountered a man, so consumed by his thoughts, his emotions that he attempted to kill the lady he 'loved' and her unborn baby. In this case, the monk glanced at the beautiful box, the man committed high treason.

“Miroku how can you?” a lady dressed in a skintight black and pink ninja suit exclaimed, horrified. But the monk wasn’t listening, his mind slowly putting the story together.

“Tell us child, is that what happened?” 

The boy glanced up and nodded. “She was also pregnant at the time. After the Master had his way with her, he ordered his servants to cut her open. We discovered the unborn, barely formed babe. A meeting with the entire village was immediately called. It was decided that the monster would be burnt and it’s mother along with it,” the boy's tone showed that he didn’t fault his master for killing the mother or the child, but for something else entirely. The Kunoichi looked like she was going to be sick, imagining what sort of demented person the chief must have been. Glancing at the 'precious box' she shuddered as she envisioned what it contained.

Inuyasha stood up and glared at the child. He couldn't believe he had considered helping the child and aiding in his mission. He remembered clearly how the people treated him and his mother with disdain. They were avoided like the plague. Ostracized even by family. Any sympathy for the village evaporated and all Inuyasha could feel was misery and anger. 

“I think your village deserved what happened. Perhaps you should die along with your village-members!” His head suddenly jerked up, golden eyes searching amongst the tree branches. Finding the scent somewhat familiar and bearing no malicious intent, he decided to leave it be, opting instead to scowl at the boy.

The boy looked at the horrified priestess who did nothing to silence the Hanyou. Instead she simply took a small elegant pair of blades with round handles, and used it to cut some gauzy material. Then at Inuyasha, still in shock at the amount of disgust laced in his words. He couldn’t comprehend how the priestess and her familiar could feel sorry for the “youkai whore.” That had to be the relationship between her and Inuyasha right? Why else would a human priestess, a powerful one, travel with a youkai? 

“You’re all more heartless than most youkai!” A little fox demon spoke up this time, bouncing up and down shaking his fist. The rest of the group nodded in agreement. Incensed the boy stood up forgetting all formality and politeness. 

“How could you talk like that? Your mother must be ashamed of you!” the boy shouted. “If you had any humanity in you, any honour, you’d…” 

The boy didn’t get to finish before a dart pierced his throat. Inuyasha’s hand immediately went to his sword as he looked around, trying to detect where the dart may have come from. Instinctively he knew the culprit was the one he scented earlier. But his nose detected nothing, nobody was hidden in the trees. 

In the wind a childish voice called, “Uncle Inuyasha, thank you for helping us stall this murderer and thief. We will try to repay you!” 

Soon after, a swirl of leaves and twigs blinded the group. When they could see again, only the body remained. The boy’s hands and head were gone, along with his box. Nobody in the group knew what to think of the extremely clean cuts, and expert aim of the dart.

........................................................... Back In The Castle ......................................................................... 

Sitting in a frozen room by the edge of a Chinese dragon-bed, the Lord of the West gazed at his wife. When he found her that day years ago, he felt sick. Her clothes torn, blood soaking through from a knife wound to her stomach. She laid there in the dark shed as if someone had-- He remembered clearly how his mind rejected the idea, even as his nose confirmed it. He smelt males...lots of them, youkai and human. And what else made him almost lose himself in a haze of red. 

Next to her was a child. A girl by the looks of it, already dead. A few seconds after he arrived, the shed went up in flames. They were going to burn his wife and child. He remembered saving her with that sword he always thought was useless. Although his healers said she would live, she never woke up. She’d been in the special room lying as if sleeping, arms folded carefully to hold Tenseiga, ever since. 

He on the other hand, tried to find the culprit’s motivation and enough proof to warrant a death sentence. What he found was something much larger. The culprit was just a tool in a larger political game. His wife was simply the bait. It was all an elaborate scheme. Sesshomaru was certain that the goal was to weaken him and conquer his domain. He didn’t notice the little ghost who slowly pieced everything she saw together and came to the same, sad conclusion. She was a pawn, sacrificed, and used by another against her husband. In her corner the little ghost swore that she’ll make the person who tried to hurt her family pay. 

At almost the same time, the little ghost and the young Lord of the West said, "Aishiteru"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Japanese Vocabulary:
> 
> Chichiue: Honorable father  
> Hahaue: Honourable mother  
> kunoichi: female ninja  
> Sumimasen: Excuse me  
> Hajimemashite: Nice to meet you  
> Aishiteru: Love you


	3. Chapter 3

He was dreaming...He was certain of it...a little girl with his white hair, cut in a short bob, holding a sword dressed in a way he has only seen one person dress, was in front of him...talking to him about her mother. 

“Papa, Towa’s sorry...Towa wasn’t able to save Mama...Papa...Papa! For-forgive m-me!”  
“Towa?”

The girl seemingly did not hear him as she continued talking in a determined but soft voice that’s so similar to her mother. “Papa, Towa will find a way to wake Mama! Grandpapa will help Towa. Towa did not take Mama along on purpose!” 

The little girl vanished as the dream shifted, and he became acutely aware of a pair of soft hands on his shoulder gently massaging. The scent of sakura filled his nose as a soft affectionate smile graced his normally cold emotionless face. 

“Shujin, you need to stop overworking yourself, even a Daiyoukai needs his rest.” A voice he longed to hear whispered close to his sensitive ears. Raspy with disuse and more mature, it still sounded like her voice. The daiyoukai’s smile grew a fraction. 

In front of him the little girl with his hair, Towa, appeared again “Papa, wake up! Papa! This is not right! Towa will not allow Mother to wake to this! Papa!” 

But the slumbering daiyoukai didn’t listen to the little girl, the scent of sakura so dear, so treasured. A scent he missed, normally accompanied by a scene he longed to see again, a scene he’d give his millennium-long life to see again. His wife, healthy and dancing happily surrounded by flowers. 

Soft hands continued working his shoulders as the scent of sakura continued to waft around. He didn’t want to wake from this dream. He wanted it to continue, to revel a little longer in his wife’s embrace, to hear her talk to him. Dream-Towa growled and grumbled something about having “Him clean up this mess” before the dream shifted again. This time he watched as his wife danced with two happy girls while his son was perched in a sakura tree, posture similar to Inuyasha, reading a scroll of some sort. Warmth flooded through his body filling his heart as he watched the scene before him. 

The maid behind him, unaware of the grieving daiyoukai’s dreams, smiled happily, her plan was working! Who knew sleeping herbs mixed with a sakura scented incense and careful devotion to sakura-baths on her part would have the great Lord of the West succumbing to her hands? Taro would be pleased with this report. 

If she reported this experiment that is, the smile growing as nimble fingers massaged tense muscles in his shoulders. Only one person had ever touched the Lord so intimately before. A scowl appeared on her otherwise pretty face as poisonous thoughts flooded her mind. Each one contains a girl with bright eyes and a beaming smile. 

‘That snake, she was HUMAN, and yet she got to see their Lord vulnerable. She was HUMAN and she dared to seduce their Lord.’ As that thought echoed through her head, the maid, Shizuka’s, hands froze. A smile appearing on her face. Yes, that had to be it! The little HUMAN tramp had to have seduced Lord Sesshomaru, and trapped him into marriage. Their union had to be a hoax. There had to be deceit somewhere. She refused to believe that there wasn’t. The HUMAN had no prior connection to nobility, not even as a servant! How could she have had the fortune of marrying the Lord of the West without deception! Shizuka now assured that SHE was the righteous one continued with her task as the sakura scented sleep-incense burned, the slight breeze from the window blew her own scent carefully masked by days spent soaking in a tub filled with sakura petals blew to the slumbering Daiyoukai. His dreams were filled with bubbly laughter, beaming smiles, and bright eyes. 

“Rin...” despite its muffled tone the word was spoken with enough yearning and sadness to move even the stoniest of hearts. It spoke of a love lost, and the pain of hoping for the return. The romantic old scholars of Sesshomaru’s court would have swooned and written many great poems from that one word whispered by the sleeping Lord. 

It was enough for the maid to freeze. Instead of sympathy for a lost love, Red-hot anger burned her as that name played on repeat in her mind. That snake! Even in her frozen state she still had a claim to the Lord’s heart. Just what did he see in her anyway? Shizuka’s mind raced before it landed on one thing that made Rin unique even amongst youkai. The one Taro told her to replicate as closely as she can with baths and oils. It had to be her sakura scent, it was an aphrodisiac! It made him mindlessly hers! That had to be it! 

‘Besides a gift from the Kami, naturally smelling like sakura. What does she have that I don’t? In beauty I’m much better than her, and in Education, how much education can a HUMAN have, surely it can’t measure up to my centuries of knowledge.’ Shizuka resumed her massaging. She always had a much better chance at winning her Lord’s heart than the sleazy Lady. When he was just a pup she was his chambermaid, for at least a decade. Before being transferred to serve the Lady Mother. That had to be favoritism, right? She had to be special for the Lady Mother to want her as one of her personal maids right? It had to mean she was destined for grandeur, to be a Lady! The Lady Mother saw potential! How dare that human-whore destroy her chance at living in luxury. She didn’t care what the Master had planned. Her own plans centered on the Lord in front of her. If things continued as they did, Sesshomaru’s reputation would be that of a soft, weak Dai-yokai. Not the great and stalwart demon he was. She won’t allow anyone to do that to her Lord. That stupid Human whore!

In the corner of the study, still unseen, the little ghost was screaming silently. Unable to get anyone’s attention she could only helplessly watch as another woman, a woman she knew had always wanted her husband in indecent ways, manhandled him while he tried to rest! The maid had never been subtle about her jealousy of Rin. She viewed the current Lady as a disgusting interloper. Even in her ghost state, it seemed the Maid was still trying to one-up her. By taking advantage of her grieving exhausted husband. And she can’t do anything to help. The little ghost felt terrible. If she had allowed Lord Sesshomaru to “dispose of the rubbish” she wouldn't have this problem, but she persuaded him to be merciful. How stupid of her! She had seen the ambition in the maid’s eyes. And yet!!

“You hold a powerful weapon when you hold my son’s heart…I pray that you will wield it wisely.” But what was “wisely” The Lady Mother’s cryptic words made no sense and did not help her...yet as she watched, the maid touched HER husband like she had the right to. Rin felt a piece of herself die. She was the reason the maid still lived. The ghost wept unabashedly as her actions that day years ago came back to her. She had thought she was being a “wise, honourable lady” by begging her Lord-husband to spare the maid. He had wanted to completely dismember her. Instead of gratitude...the maid repaid the debt by trying to steal her husband! That same burning ambition shining in the maid’s eyes as she massaged his shoulder despite the lust darkening them. The only saving grace was that the maid hasn’t tried to go further...

‘Oh had I a body of my own!’ she thought desperately as she tried to figure out a way to get the interloper away from her husband. The little ghost knew she would have taken a whip and struck the maid. ‘He’s married and with children you vile woman! Go find someone else!’ 

The little ghost’s silent screams for help weren’t completely unnoticed. In the Dreamscape one of the little girls, Towa, stopped dancing with her mother instead, running to her father renewing her efforts at waking up her father. Beating and screaming at his dream-self with all her might, unsure how else to help her weeping mother. But his eyes were only on Rin.

“Rin...This one…” This time the Daiyoukai shifted a bit, a tear rolling down his cheek, his voice clearer. The normally ice-cold, uncaring voice still carried that soft plaintive tone. The entire castle knew the Lord and Lady were a love match. Nobody dared to comment on his grief nor his great desire for revenge. Many even approved. Even outside the castle walls, their love story was told with great enthusiasm. Common folks loved the story of how a sweet orphan girl had melted the heart of the Ice Prince of the West. Bards sang of two individuals defying societal norms and old prejudices in the name of love.

The maid growled, she didn’t believe a word of that, she knew her Lord, it was all for show. What was in front of her, a grieving husband trying his best to raise two children, a proud Lord looking after his territory while grieving his Lady...it was all because of the “Sakura-curse.” It wasn’t real. None of it was. The Lord of the West was too powerful, too honorable, too prideful of being, a Daiyoukai, too LOVE a being as weak and deplorable as a HUMAN. She would know this better than all the others...After All, she wasn’t any ordinary servant right? Of course, she had to know exactly what was going on with her Lord. As his intended, it was her DUTY to know. That had to be what she was right? Why else would the Lady Mother take her under her care? 

Convinced the maid glared spitefully at a portrait of Rin sitting on a stone bench in the garden, dressed in a white silk Kimono, patterned with red flowers and a yellow obi. The traditional outfit for Lady of the West, complete with the Lady's Mother's mokomoko draped across her shoulders. She looked elegant and proud, yet still warm. ‘If I can break the sakura-spell he will be Shizuka’s. Sesshomaru-sama will have to thank Shizuka.’ She thought about the plan she was told...but decided if she can get to be Lady of the West then she won’t have to worry about Taro’s orders. Marrying a Lord was better than killing him ‘Lady Shizuka of the West sounds nice, much better than Lady Rin’ 

With that thought, she lit another incense stick and focused again on the daiyoukai. This time her gaze didn’t linger on his shoulders, it went down his silk-clad back, along arms hidden by billowing sleeves. She pictured what he must look like under the silk. Pale soft skin, hiding tremendous strength. His face however was Shizuka’s favorite, deceivingly soft features that lure females to him. 

Shizuka placed her hands back on him. Never even thinking that a true Lady, no matter how ambitious, will never stoop so low as to prey on a grieving man. Too arrogant to do so, or too well mannered to even consider such actions. She will be Lady of the West, mate to a proud, powerful and beautiful YOUKAI Lord, not one who has fallen to weakness. She will prove to everyone SHE Shizuka is the real Lady of the West. The fire burnt in her eyes and a smirk formed, she will not lose to a ghost. 

...Meanwhile, in the gardens of the Castle...

Setsuna and her brother Akihito were crouched by a large bush of peonies. Wondering how to tell their father that they had killed their target instead of apprehending him for questioning by Master Jaken or himself. 

“It’s your fault Setsu, you’re the one who chopped off his head!”

“No, it’s your fault, Aki! Your dart to the throat killed him!”

“No it didn't, the dart only contained a tranquilizer! He would have been asleep!”

“No, he won’t! When something sharp and pointy hits you in the throat you’re as good as dead!”

“Hey, I’ve hit a lot of guards and servants there! The dart barely penetrates. I'd need an arrow to do any real damage!”

“That’s because they’re youkai, dummy not humans like Mama! Don’t you remember? Mama said that humans are delicate they can get injured and sometimes die so easily, but humans are also very strong, they can face whatever challenge head-on and survive”

“Mama likes to talk in riddles Setsu, how can someone be strong and delicate at the same time”

“I don’t know, ask Mama!”

“Great idea let’s ask Mama’s ghost right now...MAMA!? CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT’S AKI!” The boy looked around and then shrugged smugly at his sister. 

“You’re an idiot,” she said in a deadpan voice “back to the serious topic. How do we tell Papa?”

“Uh…” He looked at the box in his hands then at the carefully wrapped bundle in Setsu’s.

“Idiot” She looked up the short walk to the castle and shivered fearing the consequence of their failure. However, she didn't even go two steps when Aki grabbed her hand. Turning to face him, Setsuna saw a look on his face that she had gotten VERY familiar with since Mother first told them of Towa...then Aki's hair and eyes changed color. 

"Setsuna, Aki, Dad's in danger, Mom can't do anything, come on we have to help!" Aki then blinked magenta eyes returning to normal his usual golden, the red streak on his bangs fading to match father's silvery-white..."Onee-sama...nan desu ka?"

"Come on we have to hurry!" Dragging her dazed twin brother behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Onee-sama...nan desu ka?"--- "Lady sister, what is...?"
> 
> Shizuka is based loosely on Elohiniar's Natsuki from her story Instinct. Please check it out!  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/21605662/chapters/51517429


	4. Author's Note.

Ok, so I've had a few readers compare my work to those of older authors such as RavynSkye. I'll take it as a compliment because after reading the comment, I actually went and READ all of RavynSkye's works. S/he was a great writer, their insight on what Japanese culture was like during the Sengoku period, and Japanese mythology was almost on point. Their works were beautiful in their own way. I'm glad that some of my readers felt mine are comparable. But I DO NOT appreciate people saying I'm copying them, because I will never do it! Here's a list of why:

1) It's dishonorable

2) It damages your reputation

3) Morality and dignity won't allow me to do it. 

I know we all have our favorites, but I ask that readers NOT unjustly accuse other writers of something as serious as plagiarism because of it. Undermining the works of one writer for another is NOT OKAY! All writers put a lot of effort into their stories. Please respect that. 

Now, the character in question is Shizuka, RavynSkye in "Adventures in Parenthood" has a character who shares the name. There are substantial differences that will slowly become apparent over the next chapters, but here's are a few things I'd like readers to keep in mind:

1) Shizuka is a common name for girls in Japan. Depending on how it's written it means Quiet Summer or Perfume. 

2) A laundry maid and a chambermaid are NOT the same. The former takes the dirty clothes and beddings of the entire household, including other servants, to the nearest source of water and handwashes them before hanging them out to dry. That's their only task. The chambermaid cleans and maintains bedrooms, ensures fires were lit in fireplaces, and supplies hot water. Occasionally, they can be called upon to help their masters dress. 

3) While I admit both our characters are ambitious, there is a difference between being delusional (Ravyn's) and being obsessive (Mine). The latter is a disturbing preoccupation with an unreasonable idea or feeling. The former is a false belief maintained despite indisputable evidence to the contrary.

Please, feel free to read and comment. But keep the accusations and anything else that can seriously hurt the writer to a minimum. There is a real person on the other side, after all.


End file.
